Diversity is key in our work future
Jan 30 2009 by Chris Knox, The Journal
DURING the last few years there have been a number of topics covered in this column by various industry commentators, which have had recurring themes.
Today, I would like to address the convergence of two of those issues – sustainability and skills. In fact, the topic is sustainable skills.
We are facing a new economic landscape with more big infrastructure work and less smaller, developer-led projects finding their way onto order books.
Areas such as new-build in the nuclear market are expected to open up, and I suspect we will face a shortage in nuclear engineers, as well as specialists in other areas.
I use the word ‘suspect’ because the figures for skills needed, particularly in the North East, are not adequately recorded.
We need to gather this information correctly and then look at how we can train our graduates and students to best meet these needs.
Without this focus our industry faces serious problems in the future.
There is not only a wide-ranging skills shortage, but there needs to be a considerable focus on the types of skills which will be required in the next 30 to 40 years.
Another issue is whether civil engineers need to be more entrepreneurial, and whether we should be training our workforce to deal with risk on a more regular basis.
By preparing in this way, we will be developing their skills to be adaptable and better suited to meet the needs of the economy .
A graduate joining the workforce this year will likely be facing many such changes over the next 40 years.
Whatever the connotations of the recession, we can not be blinded by the bad news and prepare ourselves for the future.
We need to drive our industry forward in a more diverse way, while also focusing on those needs which will challenge civil engineering in the future.
For more information on Constructing Excellence in the North East, please contact regional director, Catriona Lingwood on (0191) 383-7435 or catriona@constructing excellence-ne.org.uk.
